Needle-threader.



PATBNTED MAY 24, 1904.

M. L. EE'ANNELL.

. NEEDLE THRBADER. APPLICATION FILED JULY 29, 1903.

N0 MO-DEL.

UNITED STATES Patented May 24, 1904.

MARVIN L. ORANNELL, OF TROY, NFAV YORK.

' NEEDLE-THREADEH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 760,427, dated May 24,1904.

Application filed July 29, 1903. $erial No. 167,503. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MARVIN L. ORANNELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Troy, in the county of Rensselaer and State of New York,have invented new and useful Improvements in Needle-Tln'eaders, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for threading sewing-machine needles,and has for its object to provide improved means of this character inthe nature of an attachment for con venient application to thestationary arm of any ordinary sewing-machine in position for convenientmanipulation to facilitate the threading of the needle. It isfurthermore designed to provide for conveniently applying and removingthe device without changing or altering any part of the sewing-machinewhatsoever and also to arrange for readily adjusting the device to aninoperative position when not in use, so as not to interfere with theordinary manipulation of the sewing-machine, thereby obviating thenecessity for entirely removing the attachment when not actually in usefor threading the needle.

With these and other objects in view the present invention consists ofthe combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter morefullydescribed, shown in the accompanying drawings, and particularlypoint ed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes inthe form, proportion, size, and minor details may be made within thescope of the claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing anyof the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of asewing-machine arm hav ing the device of the present invention appliedthereto and shown in its initial threading position. ,Fig. 2 is asimilar view showing the device adjusted to its final threadingposition. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the attachment removedfrom the machine. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof. Fig.5 is a detail sectional view on the line 5 f Fig. 4:. Fig. 6 is a detailsectional view through the handle of the device to show the mounting ofthe thread-engaging hook.

Like characters of reference designate corresponding parts in each andevery figure of the drawings.

The present embodiment of my invention consists of a body or bracketmade up of front and rear platemembers 1 and 2, respectively, which areriveted or otherwise mutually connected. The inner face of one of themembers, prefer-ably the member 2, is provided with an intermediatelongitndinal groove or way 3, extending throughout theentire length ofthe member and open at opposite ends. The lower end of the bracket is'provided with a concaved socket or seat 4:, intersecting the lower endof the groove. At an intermediate point the front face of the frontmember 1 is provided with a transverse seat or recess 5. intersectingthe opposite edges of the member and receiving a cross-bar 6, which isriveted or otherwise connected to the bracket and has its opposite endsprojected beyond the bracket and provided with perforations 7 for the reception of fastenings to secure the device in place, as will behereinafter described.

Working in an endwise direction through the longitudinal groove or way 3is an arm 8, which projects through the opposite ends of the way andpreferably consists of a thin metallic and elastic strip capableof'sliding through the way and having a frictional engagement with thewalls thereof sufficient to hold the strip or arm against the action ofgravity, so as to prevent the same from dropping out of the bracket.

At the lower end of the flexible or elastic arm there is a handle 9projected rearwardly from the arm and provided in its front end with alongitudinal socket 10 for the reception of the shank portion of a hook11, which is held against displacement by means of a suitable set-screwl2, piercing the handle and engaging the shank of the hook.

For an understanding of the application and operation of the presentinvention reference is had to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, wherein Ihave illustrated a portion 13 of any commen or ordinary sewing-1nachinearm, which carries in the usual manner the vertically-re: ciprocatoryneedle-bar 14:, to which is connected an ordinary needle 15. The bracketor body of the present device is applied to the rear or under side ofthe sewing-machine arm and is connected thereto by means of suitablescrews, one of which has been indicated at 16, passing through theopenings 7 of the ears formed by the opposite ends of the cross-bar 6.It will here be observed that the attaching-bracket is of convoluteform, so as to fit in the angle between the horizontal and uprightportions of the sewing-machine arm, and it will therefore be understoodthat the shape or form of the bracket may be considerably varied toaccommodate it to the various forms of arms without departing from thespirit of the invention.

In using the present device the handle 9 is grasped and drawndownwardly, so as to pass the hook 11 through the eye of the needle,after which the thread 17 is engaged with the hook, and then the handleis drawn rearwardly, so as to withdraw the hook with the thread throughthe eye of the needle. It will now be understood that the 'arm 8 isflexible or elastic, so as to permit of the lateral movements necessaryto pass the hook 11 through the eye of the needle and withdraw the sametherefrom. Furthermore, the bill portion of the hook should standupright or rise from the shank thereof in order that the thread may beconveniently engaged therewith merely by placing the same transverselyacross the upper side of the shank and then withdrawing the hook throughthe eye of the needle, whereby the thread will lie in the path of thehook and be carried therewith through the needleeye. When not in use,the arm is moved upwardly to its upper limit, with the front portion ofthe handle 9 and the hook lying within the seat or socket 4 in the lowerend of the bracket, whereby the device is disposed so as not tointerfere with the usual manipulation of the machine, and the hook ishoused and protected against damage by accidental con tact with thesleeve or hand of the operator.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that the device of thepresent invention is very simple and inexpensive and is complete initself. Moreover, it is in the nature of an attachment and is capable ofapplication to the arm of any sewing-machine without requiring anychange or alteration whatsoever in the arm or any other part of themachine and when in place does not interfere with the propermanipulation of the sewing-machine.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed, and desired to besecured by Letters Patent, is

1. A needle-threader embodying an attaching-bracket having a way, an armslidably mounted in the way and projected beyond one end of the bracket,said arm being flexible to permit lateral play of its projected portion,and a thread-engaging device carried by the projected portion of the armand of a size and form to be entered through and withdrawn from the eyeof a needle 2. A needle-threader embodying an attaching-bracket made upof a pair of members placed face to face, the contiguous face of one ofthe members being provided with an openended groove, an arm working inthe groove with one end projected therefrom and flexible to permitlateral play thereof, and a threadengaging device carried by theprojected portion of the arm.

3. A needle-threader embodying an attaching-bracket, an arm sl'idableendwise thereon with one flexible end portion projected beyond thebracket, a thread-engaging hook. carried by and projected laterally atone side of the flexible portion of the arm, and'a handle car ried byand projected laterallyat the opposite side of the arm, whereby the armmay be slid in an endwise direction and also moved laterally to bringthe hook into and out of operative position and also to move said hookinto and out of the eye of the needle.

4. A needle-threader embodying an attaching-bracket having an open-endedand otherwise closed way extending entirely therethrough, a spring armmounted to slide through the way and having a frictional engagement withthe walls thereof to adjustably hold the arm, the lower end of the armcapable of being projected below the bracket and moved laterally, ahandle carried by the lower portion of the arm and projected at one sidethereof, and a thread-engaging hook carried by and projected at theopposite side of the arm;

5. 'A needle-threader embodying an attachportion of the arm and capableof being moved therewith into the seat to be housed thereby when not inuse.

6. A needle-threader embodying an attach- I ing-bracket havingan'open-ended way therein and provided with a recess or seatintersecting one open end of the way, an arm slidably mounted in the waywith one flexible end portion projected outwardly through the recess,and a laterally-projected thread-engaging hook carried by the flexibleportion of the arm and movable therewith into the recess or seat to behoused thereby when not in use.

7. A needle-threading'device for sewingmachines, embodying anattaching-bracket having a longitudinal way extending therethrough andprovided with a seat or recess intersecting the lower open end of theway, a spring-strip forming an arm slidably mounted in the way andcapable of being projected through the lower open end thereof, a handlecarried by the lower end of the arm and pro In testimony WhereofIhavesigned my name jected at one side thereof with a socket formed to thisspecification in the presence of two sub- I 0 in its inner end,1 andalthrezlild-enigaging hook scribing Witnesses.

aving its s1an: fittec Wit in tie socket of 1 5 the handle and projectedat the opposite side MARVIN (JRANNELL' V of the arm, the hook beingmovable with the Witnesses:

arm into the seat or recess of the bracket to R. E. EVERINGI-IAM, behoused thereby when not in use. J OHN SI-IETLAND, Jr.

